Amazing Race Activity
Young Women/Young Men Combined Amazing Race Activity
Our youth had so much fun with this activity! They wanted most of it to be around service. All in all, it took our fastest team 45 minutes, our longest team 1 hour. I put this together from many different Amazing Race ideas I found on-line.
Here’s what we did:
We split the youth into teams of 4 (2 YW & 2 YM). We read them the rules and assigned them each an adult leader. The first clue was the same for all teams. It gave them the family name of who they were serving. We had pre-arranged with several families in our ward to plan on a small group of youth to come and serve at their home for about 20 minutes. After the time was up the adult leader would hand them their next clue.
Next, they would arrive at the church to complete 3 other activities. I tried to set it up so that different teams went to different challenges, just so that one activity would not be overwhelmed. Manipulating the clues for each team to go somewhere different each time got tricky and a little messed up – it was probably the hardest part of the prep. The only complaint from the youth was that they wanted to serve more. Maybe next time I’d add something in the church to do: wipe down nursery toys, clean windows, etc.
The 3 challenges were:
Translation: here the youth had to “translate” a quote from the scriptures. I typed up a scripture on service then changed the font to wingdings. They had to translate each letter to figure out the word. However, I mixed the words up so when they were done translating they just had a bunch of English words that didn’t make sense. They then had to work together to unscramble and put the scripture in the right order. When they did, the proxy (leader or parent helper) gave them their next clue.
Team Work: I put a bunch of pattern blocks or building blocks in a design (keep it easy, it’s a pretty hard activity) and put them on a table. The team had to stretch out length wise through the room we were in. Only one person could look at the pattern. This person would tell the teammate behind them what blocks to use and how to set them up, then they would tell the next person and so on. The person at the other end would have a tub of blocks to use and would have to re-create the design just by being told what to do. When the design matched the original they would receive their next clue.
Scriptures: In this activity we had typed up all of the books of the Old Testament and cut them up into individual slips and put them in an envelope. Same with the New Testament. The youth had to put both books of scripture into the correct order to receive their clue. Some used the songs to help them, some asked their leaders for their phones to look them up online – which was okay according to the rules as long as the leader did not suggest the idea. You could do this with Book of Mormon or even pictures of the Latter-Day prophets.
I brought a rug from home to use as the “Pit Stop”. They had to have all members of their team on the rug and all of their clues to turn in (some teams had to go look for theirs) before I would check them in. Winners received a medal made from a Ding Dong and a ribbon.
AMAZING RACE RULES
VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE TEAMS: Teammates must race the entire race together; they cannot split up (except when instructed to do so temporarily by a clue) or continue on without each other. If one teammate needs to go to the bathroom the team must wait until they are assembled again before continuing. Teammates must arrive at each Task together in order to check in. Clues instruct the teams where to go next and what to do at the next Task. It’s up to the teams to figure out how to accomplish each Task.
Teams make decisions on their own: Clues instruct the teams where to go next and what to do at the next Task. It’s up to the teams to figure out how to accomplish each Task. Additionally, the proctors are there to administrate the game. At no time can you ask them questions nor should they answer.
Carefully read: Teams must carefully read each clue card and they should allow sufficient time for each team member to read the clue.
Full involvement: Each team should make an effort to allow each team member to compete in tasks.
Hold on to clues: Each team must keep their clues and hand them in at the finish line. For each lost clue, a time penalty will be incurred.
Off limits: No activities will use the chapel; please do not use it as a thoroughfare.
Penalties: If any rules are broken or tasks not completed this will result in a time penalty and/or returning to complete the task.
